Free Republic

A former Filipino lawmaker who was jailed in the US for illegally financing presidential campaign of former US president Bill Clinton flew back home on Sunday after spending two years in jail. Former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez, who was also a wealthy businessman, was released from prison by US authorities last week. He was extradited to the US on December 26, 2002, on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the US and commit election- financing offenses. He was found to have illegally contributed millions of dollars to the presidential campaign of Clinton. A US Federal Court sentenced...

MARK JIMENEZ is coming home on his own sweet time, according to his friend, Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay. The ex-jailbird was expected back from the United States yesterday, but Pichay yesterday said he was probably still staying with family members in Florida. "He's resting, sleeping, enjoying his time [out of prison]," Pichay said of the controversial former representative of Manila. Jimenez (real name Mario Crespo) has just completed a 20-month jail sentence for making illegal campaign contributions and committing tax fraud in the United States. Along with other lawmakers, Pichay had earlier planned to meet Jimenez at...